Segmental crosstie and rail-holding structure



Sept. 23, 1924. 1,509,405

VAN RENSSELAER C. KING 7 SEGMENTAL CROSSTIE AND RAIL HOLDING STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 4.'1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 L nt E 5 Jump 23 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Sept. 23 1924. 1,509,405

. VAN- RENSSELAER c. KING SEGMENTAL GRQS S TIE AND RAIL HOLDING STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' INVENTOR I ATTORNEY patented Sept. 23, 1924 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VAN RENSSELAER CHOATE KING, OF RADNOR, FENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO KINGS CONCRETE CROSS TIE CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SEGMENTAL CEOSSTIE AND RAIL-HOLDING STRUCTURE.

Application filed October 4, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Van RENSSELAER CHoATn KING, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Radnor, in the county 01"" Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Inn provements in Segmental Crosstie and Rail- Holding Structures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to segmental cross tie and rail holding structures. Generally speaking, objects of the invention are to produce at low cost, with a maximum of concrete and a minimum of metal, a practical, eiiicient, segmental cross tie which may be used for holding rails in place without the use of heavy troughed rail chairs of the type having a bottom and at least one integral side wall although my tie has'segmental, troughed, rail seats; and to make the ties in such wise that the ties and therewith tamped ballast will make a road bed in which the track, including ties'and rails, is held against lateral movement. It quite fre quently happens with tracks as heretofore constructed that long sections of many feet of track are moved bodily in a lateral direction under ordinary tamping conditions, the ties slipping endwise bodily on the road bed. There is always a tendency in all track construction of the rails to creep in the direction in which the traffic moves. There is also a positive tendency for the rails to spring laterally out of their predetermined center line when many rails have moved endwise into contact one with another due to creeping induced by a sudden rise in temperature. Serious accidents constantly occur from this cause. Objects of the invention are to minimize all such objectional occurrences.

Another object of the invention is to make the ties reversible so that they may be used either side up and another object is to prevent shock and disintegration of the tie heads by the simultaneous downward bowing and endwise movement of rails under trafiic conditions.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and illustrating the principle of the invention and the best modes now known to me of applying that principle,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the preferred Serial No. 666,492.

form of my new reversible, concrete and metal cross tie with one rail in place.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of what is shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an inner end view of one of the two concrete and metal tie heads of identical construction.

Fig. 4 is an end view of an anchorable, tie corner armor block, detached.

Fig. 5 is a top plan View of what is shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is top plan view of a rail clamp socket block, detached.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of what is shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a side View of my new anti creeping clamp, detached.

Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of what is shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged view in section at a part of line 10-10 of Fig. 1 and shows a rail flange, an anti-creeping rail clamp and a clamp bolt in homed position.

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic end View of two laterally opposed, spaced apart tie heads with arail clamped thereon, and indicates, by a dotted line, that typical downward bowing of a rail between two adjacent ties which occurs when a locomotive or train travels over track rails supported at intervals by cross ties.

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 10 but shows the clamp in initial position of rest and the bolt but partially homed.

Fig. 13 is an enlarged sectional view at lines 13--13 ofFig. 1 and shows the inward end portions of the tie heads coupled by transverse short-length, one piece coupling rods exposed between their ends in a work space between the heads and provided with reversely turning screw threads; and with the threads of the sockets homed in the socket blocks and also exposed between the heads.

Fig. 14 is a bottom plan view, enlarged,

of a portion of a toothed under surface of the inner end portion of the anti-creeping rail clamp shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

Fig. 15 is a plan view of two laterally spaced apart ties shown in Fig. 1 with ballast tamped in place.

Fig. 16 is a transverse section at line 16 16 of Fig. 15 looking towards the side of one of the tie heads and showing ballast 7 more heavily tamped beneath the rail supporting portion of the tie heads than between the inward narrowed end portions of the heads.

Fig. 17 is a perspective view of a fiat topped rail seat plate anchored in a concrete tie head and provided with clamp bolt receiving sockets. A portion of the plate is broken away for greater clearance and the concrete in which the plate is anchored is indicated by dotted lines.

Fig. 18 is a length-wise sectional view of one of my new reversible, sectionalized cross tie heads provided with a rail seat plate shown in Fig. 17.

In the two illustrated forms of the invention each cross tie comprises a pair' of transversely alined and adjustably coupled concrete, reversible tie heads I of identical construction, dimensions and shape. Any suitable form of reinforcement for the concrete may be used. Reinforcement rods 2" are shown.

The heads are of a length sufficient to bring their inner opposed ends in each transposed end walls of the heads.

versely coupled pair nearly up to the middle line between the rails, so that when laid their inner ends are spaced apart by ashort distance, preferably of amaximum distance of about four inches, just sufii'cient to form a narrow working space 3 between the op- Thls working space gives room for turning the short,

' stiff, one piece, coupling rods 4. A plurality of one piece coupling rods is shown, but in some cases a single coupling rod will suffice. However, a plurality of these rods one above the other and located in the axial plane of' the transversely coupled heads is preferred? One end ofea'ch coupling rod is provided with right hand screw threads 5 and the other end is rovidedwith left hand screw threads he inner end portions of" the two tie heads are severally pro vided with one or more tie rod receiving socket blocks 7 anchored; horizontally in a head. Each socket block is shown with an interiorly threaded socket 8 for'reception of a threaded coupling rod end. The threads at the end portions of such tie rods extend for a: length in excess of the depth of the socket threads. The threads-weaken the ends of these short-length, one piece coupling rods and the inward threads at each end are extended so that when the rods are screwed" into the sockets some threads at each end portion of a tie rod are exposed for breakage under some conditions of accident and for thereby, in such cases, preventing or minimizing the expense of rupture of the more expensivetie heads. By forming the coupling rod threads in reversed directions, it is possible to turn the rods by application of a suitable wrench to a rod in the working space and simultaneously to pull together or push apart the two coupled tie heads, not only to suit rail gage dimensions when the track is laid, but also to draw the tie heads and rails closer together when that is necessary to be done owing to the wearing away of the inner sides of the rail heads by the wheel flanges of locomotives and cars. The fact that the tie heads have long dimensions sufiicient to bring their inner ends so closely together is favorable to the immobility of the track construction because of the length of the tie head inwardly from the rail and of the length of the tie head outwardly from the rail. The best practice is to tamp ballast most heavily beneath the rail supporting end portion of a tie, as from 9' to 9; and more lightly to tamp the ballast along the middle portion of the tie as at 10.

An additional advantageof making a se mental tie with such relatively long heats and with as shorta coupling as will permit a good working space between their opposed ends lies in the fact that there is substantially less bending strain exerted on short length couplings than there is on long length couplings under the endwise, downwardly tipping strains to which the outer end portions of all cross ties are subjected, as is well-known to all skilled in the art. This is a matter of substantial practical importance it being desired to stiffen and keep stiff the mid-length portion of my new tie and it being recognized that the midlength strength of all ties is important to the integrity of the track.

As above stated, I preferably use a plurality of coupling rods in the present case, two of which are shown one above the other. In the working assemblage whenever one or both tie heads have their outer ends dcpressed so as to brin an upward tipping action on the inward ends of the heads, either or both, the under portion of each tie rod will be put in compression and the up per port-ion thereof in tension; and under such conditions also the under tie rod must act as a compression member forming, (Fig. 2) a truss connection between the heads because of the upper and under location of the two rods and their anchorages in the sockets anchored one above the other in the inner ends of the tie heads.

It isa feature of this invention, for the sake of economy and of lightness in weight, to use as little metalas feasible and all the component parts of the structure herein described, with the exception of the concrete, are of suitable metal. Those parts which are held by a tie head are firmlv anchored in concrete against endwise movement and also against axial movement and tipping movements; all these metal members which are components of the tie head and have exposed surfaces, have such surfaces substantially flush with the concrete so that the tie heads are easily stackable for transportation in railway maintenance cars. The tie heads are so formed that they can beeasily stacked block-wise and are of a weight convenient to permit quick and eliicient handling. The practice is in track maintenance to carry the supplies in a car and to dump them at intervals on the track under construction or repair with usually very limited time between train movements in which to work.

In the form shown, the rod socket blocks 7 are polygonal in cross section throughout their length whereby they are prevented from axial turning movements; their corner portions are indicated by 11. T permit assemblage of any one head with any other head, either rail supporting side up, the axes "of the coupling rod receiving sockets are at equal distances from the normal upper end under corners 12 of each head. To secure firm anchorage of the socket blocks in "the endwise direction, each body portion is provided with a polygonal butt-end head 13. The outer ends of the sockets are substantially flush with the inner ends of the tie heads. The sockets between their heads and butt-ends are reduced cross-sectionally for reduction of weight.

A very important feature and advantage of theinvention, irrespective of the particular construction of the tie heads in other respects, is that their inward end portions are narrower in width for a substantial distance than their outer portions. Thus in the form shown each side wall of each end portion of a tie head is formed with an incurved sloping shoulder 14: in a direction toward the long axis of the head, the incurving shoulders severally extending into opposed walls 143. When a series of cross ties having such width-wise dimensionally reduced end portions adjacent the central portion of the road bed are laid and connected thereto by detachably clamped rails, ballast between the rails is tampable not only against the sides of the tie heads, but also between their opposed ends and into an inwardly convergent space, at each side of two almed heads, due to the inward convergence of the narrowed end portions of the heads. As shown in Figs. 15 and 16, that area of ballast which is indicated by B, in effective cooperation with the remainder of'the ballast, forms a tie and track anchorage which tends enormously to prevent en'dwise slippage of the ties and lateral track movement under accident conditions. The area B of the tamped ballast comprises ballast between the two opposed ends of the tie heads and about the coupling rods; and at each side thereof ballast between the shoulders 14 along the walls 1 1. This area of ballast at each side of and between the tie head's en- With the usual ballast B across the road bed between the ties. The width-wise reduced dimensions of the inner end portions of the alined ties for a substantial distance and the ballast effect a new kind of ailway track bed and is a safety factor of highest importance in track maintenance. Moreover, it results in a saving of much of the ballast now required, as shown, at opposite ends of ties. The ballast areas B and B also assist in prevention of axial, tie rocking movements.

It is recognized that tie and rail holding requirements not only vary in tangents, curves and switching tracks and while for tangents; that is, straight tracks, and perhaps for other than tangent tracks, a feature of the invention lies in the omission of rail chairs of the old type mentioned, I nevertheless show a flat topped rail seat forming cross-plate in Figs. 17 and 18. But l. immediately describe the preferred form or condition of the invention wherein neither such a rail seat forming cross plate nor a chair of the old type is required, and the cost of construction and upkeep of a railway track is consequently ver' greatly dimin ished.

Outwardly of the mid-length of each tie head, about midway of that portion of the head which is outwards of the shoulders and walls of the reduced inner end portion, I anchor in the head a pair of spaced apart, vertical, interiorly threaded socket blocks having sockets wherein the threads are indicated by 15. Each block has a polygonal head 16; its body portion is shown polygonal and is cross-sectionally reduced for reduction of weight; and it has a butt-end poly onal head 17. Thus each of these upstanding socket blocks which are alined with their axes in the axial plane of the head is anchored in the head against axial, endwise, and tipping movements. The polygonal heads 16 are shown square and the inward, opposed, spaced apart margins 16 of the heads project towards each other suiiiciently to bring these margins into rail base supporting positions. The square heads are properly dimensioned for this purpose. Each outward margin 16" of the head is made broad enough to become a clamp heel bearing, as described below.

A very important feature and object of the invention. lies in a downward inclination of the opposed corner portions of the tie, imnnidiately under the rail base; and in that form of my invention in which nosupporting cross plate is used, Figs. 1; 2; 4t; 5; and 11, the opposed corners of each head are severally armored in the line of the rail by identical opposed, metal armor blocks 17, the corners of which adjacent the under side of the rail base It are inclined clownwardly at 18'. These corner armors, severally, in the form shown, comprise an approximately cross-sectionally square body portion having a plurality of spaced apart, flanged lugs 19 which are aimed and project diagonally downwards and inwardly into the concrete head. The diagonal direction of the extension of each lug is away from an upper curved or inclined corner 18. A front wall of the body portion of the block isflus'h' with vertical side wall of the head. The flanged lugs are anchored in the c'on crete. The upper horizontal armor surface 20 of each block is flush with the upper surface of a head and forms a rail b'ase hearing" surface; These bearing surfaces 20 on a; side of the head are opposed and aimed one being at one side portion and the other the other side portion of the vertical, axial plane of the head. The rail base when in place rests in part onthe metal margins 16 of the upstanding clamp holding sockets, and in part on the" opposed surfaces 20 oi the armor blocks. By this constru'fction no railway supporting, troughed chair of the old type is required and a very great expense of metal per mile of track is obviated. But a rail base seat is thus formed on a tie head, and for such rail seat, metal side walls are provided as described below, for engagement with opposite edges of the ma ba'se flanges.

The purpose of beveling or inclining the corners of the tie heads at, 18 where such eo'rners are opposed to the base 0fthe rail, is due to the fact that track rails are ternporarily bowed down, between adjacent ties, by the load" and strains of locomotives and ears, the downwardly bowed rails springing upwardly when free of load. Every rail is subjected to an upwardly and downwardly flexing movement between the ties and though this movement is slight, it is a recognized condition.- The rails when thus boweddown as also whenlevel, tend to travel in the direction of the travelling loconroti've or train and the downward bowing and simultaneous endwise travelling movements have a. ositive destructively d sintegrating action or the opposed corners concrete ties. In accordance with this i'nve'n tion, I downwardly incline each upper corner portion ofthe rail base supporting metal member in whatever form it may be, in order to relieve such corner portions from direct disruptive strain incident to the simultaneous downward strain and-endwise thrust of the rails and to obviate repeated shocks on the tie heads. By such practical elimination of the end thrust of bowed r'ails on the tie seat corners; the axial rocking tendencies of the tie heads, due to the end thrust, is greatly reduced.

By my invention, the tie heads are preferably wider" at their outer end portions,

where their e'iiterior sides are arallel, than they are high, and their bottom and top snrfaces are also parallel. The rails are prcferably firmly clamped at the mid-length portion of each tie head outwardly of its reduced inward end, and l'nidway between the tie sides. The means for clamping a rail base to the tie are preferably trans versely alined and located midway between the upright sides of the head. This all'ords a maximum area from each upper, long corner of a head horizontally outwards in which each tie head may absorb the shock of a downwardly deflected rail, ahead of an engine wheel or car wheel, and thereby greatly reduces or approxin'iatcly eliminates, the present side-wise or axially rocking movement of each cross tie on its varying amped ballast support. The undisturbed bearing of every cross tie on its carefully tamped supporting material is one of the most important problems now awaiting solution in existing track maintenance methods. The ballast or supporting material after tampi-ng is, of course, subject to varialions in consequence of shocks, wear and tear, washing away by rains, etc, but said preferred,cross-sectionally reduced shape of the tie heads greatly helps in maintenance of the tamped bearing, the internualiatc tamped material at B resisting inward movement of the material at 9-9.

The rail base flanges, in the rail assemblage with the ties, bear on the opposed inargins 16 of the clamp holding socket blocks, the anchor block surfaces 20 and the concrete exposed between these metal members;

The rails are detachably secured on the hat seats thus formed by vertical clamp bolts 21 and anti-creeping rail clamps. The bolt shanks each have a sliding fit in a: hole. 22 through the outer end portion of each anti-creeping rail clamp 23, the inward end 5% of which is upwardly inclined and heavily toothed at 25 on its under surface. The teeth are preferably of pyramidal. trans verse, cross section. When the clamp is in working position, the teeth are heavily engaged with the upper surface of a rail base flange R. The inward toothed end 24- rises from a transverse, vertical, under shoulder 26 of the clamp,- inwardly of its bolt hole. This shoulder 26 is engageable with an outer edge of the, rail base flange when the bolt is homed. The clamp shoulders 25 constitute opposed side walls of the rail seat above mentioned.

The rail base clamps are so dimensioned that before an effective clamping pressure can be put on a clamp by the screwingin of the bolt, the points of the teeth. 25 will rest on the upper surface of the rail base flange while its outward heel corner 97 (Fig. 10) will be supported on an outward margin 16 of a clamp socket block 16, forming a triangular space 9.8 between the under side of the clamp outwardly of its shoulder and the edge of the rail base flange. Sufficient play is given to the bolt shanks in the clamp holes 22 to permit a clamp bolt to be initially turned into the threaded socket; whereupon, with the parts in such. initial position, the threaded clamp bolt is turned home hard and powerfully to clamp the clamp teeth 25 on the rail base flan e, actually springing the clamp downwardly between its ends. The two opposed clamps for the rail base flanges may be homed so as to impinge toothedly and with great force on the rail base fiangcsand to minimize if not wholly prevent rail creeping; and thereby to solve one of the important, heretofore unsolved problems of railway track maintenance.

In Fig. 12, the upper surface of the clamp is shown straight from end to end; and the triangular space 28 is slightly larger than it is shown in Fig. 10 where the clamp has been finally sprung downwardly by the homing of the bolt and the upper surface of the clamp is shown slightly deformed.

By using clamps of different lengths from heel. to shoulder, the tie heads with their bolt receiving socketblocks, anchored at a suitable uniform distance apart, may be used for rail bases of different widths.

In some cases it may be preferred to use a rail seat member extending wholly across the head; and in Figs. 17 and 18, I show,'as an alternative form of one feature of the invention, a flat topped rail base seat formed of a metal plate 29 which has at each under side corner portion, a lengthwise extending flange 30 that projects horizontally outwards and from which an edge 31 of the body of the plate extends upwardly. The upward rail bearing surface of the plate is flat. Between its ends, the plate has transversely alin d, interiorly threaded clamp bolt receiving sockets 32. The outward margin of each socket 32 is sufficiently wide to afford a bearing 16 for the heel of a clamp, as in the first described form of the invention.

In 18 the plate 29 is shown embedded .in the concrete which engages the upper surfaces of its flanges 30 and anchors the plate against upward displacement. The plate is anchored in lateral directions by engagement of the concrete with the edges 31; and is also anchored against endwise movement as well as side movement by upward projection of the concrete into a quadrangular recess 33 in the under side of the plate. The plate is thus anchored in place across the width of the head and has its upper continuously fiat surface flush with the upper surfa e of the head. Its upper, end corner portions are sloped downwardly at 3 1 to prevent end-thrust of the rails against such corner portions when the rails are bowed downwardly and creep endwise, as above explained.

Concrete under the metal members on one side, or between metal members Oll-OPPOSltO sides, of the tie heads, as the case may he, serves to prevent track currents from grounding. In the figures showing the reversible tie heads it will be noted that there is an insulating portion of the concrete at both sides of the line (Fig. 2) and that this body of concrete separates and insulates, one from another, the tie rod socket blocks and all the other metal members incorporated in each side portion. of a tie head.

The vertical. clamp holding socket blocks and the armor blocks at each side of a tie head are spaced apart from the lengthwise extending, reinforcement rods 2 and from one another.

The tie heads above described are preferably reversible but the metallic members in one of the two opposite side portions of each head may be omitted if desired. Due to their reversibility, the tie heads may be used either side up. This duplicated or reversible construction requires the coupling rod socket blocks to be spaced at equal distances from the tops and bottoms of each tie head, as illustrated, in order that either tie head or any tie head may be used either side up in a transversely coupled pair, the upper surfaces whereof are alined.

It is practically necessary for the preservation of the threads in the under, vertical socket blocks, when the heads are installed on a road bed, to fill the sockets with some easily removable material, such as tar, for the prevention of rust and preservation of the socket threads and such a filling in the under, vertical socket blocks is indicated by F.

In Fig. 17 the vertical rail clamp. bolt sockets are in effect transversely connected by the metal forming the plate seat'and the clamp heel margins are indicated by 16 as in Fig. 1, while the inward margins 16". of these sockets extend one into the other width-wise of the plate.

The threads at each end of each coupling rod are of a length to leave them partially exposed, as at B, when the couplings are fully hoined. Consequently, if a transverse breaking strain in the vertical direction is brought on either of the couplings by an endwise, tipping movement of the head, the break will in all probability occur in an exposed portion of the thread with little danger of breaking a head. The coupling rods are stiff and of a cross section intended to resist bending and breaking strains be tween the opposed ends of the heads, at the middle portion of the track. In this respect, the coupling rod or rods correspond to the mid-length portion of a wood tie. Another s so point is that while'one or more of these one piece, stiifrcoupling rods arequickly usable for adjusting rails to gauge in laying a track prior to ballasting, they are equally useful in pulling the heads one towards another in ballast, which-may be loosened, if necessary, adjacent the ties,to facilitate endwise movement of the heads, when :the rail gauge has to be narrowed because of the wearing away of the inward sides of the rail track heads. The horizontal, anchored socket bloo'ks have rigid walls whereby vertical strains on the bend resisting, -coup'li-ng rods cannot effect a disintegrating action on the concrete surrounding the blocks; the coupling connections bein-gmade by metal thread against metal thread. The threads on the coupling rods do not project diametrically beyond the body of the coupling rod so that the threaded ends of a coupling rod are 'cross-sectionally weaker than the intermediate body portion.

It is noted that when any one of these cross ties is subjected. to the loads and strains of use, all the parts are then in cooperative relations; and that my invention is intended so to resist all the loads and strains of use i that "its integrity will be maintained during its life except in the 'case of disruptive accidents; and that in case of such accidents, there will be minim-um danger of destroying the tie heads.

It will be observed that in Figures 1; 2; 15 and 16 the inward ends of the tie-heads arenarrowed laterally and are not narrowed in the vertical direction. Each tie-head is of uniform height throughout its length in the form shown and this uniformity or ap proximate uniformity of'height is necessary to give adequate strength to the laterally narrowed, inward ends of the tie-heads for resistance to vertical strains exerted thereon. Some of the reinforcement rods 2, indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, extend in ward'ly infche lengthwise direction into the laterally. narrowed, inward ends of the heads so that these narrowed, inward ends are reinforced both vertically and laterally. But the reinforcement, though generally necessary in solid concrete structures like those herein described, is particularly necessary for giving suitable strength to the laterally narrowed ends of the heads in the vertical direction. In fact, the horizontal sockets 7 also'in some measure act as reinforcements for the inward ends of the heads, but the main reinforcementis from the reinforce ment rods 2, the intermediate pair of which, illustrated, extend from near the outer end to near the inner end of each head.

,W'ha-t I claim is:

1. A cross tie comprising a pair of concrete tie heads and a rigid metallic coupling therefor; each tie head having a rail seat portion comprising therein anchored and spaced apart metallic, rail clamp holding members held against axial endwise and tipping anovements and severally formed with a threaded socket outwardly ofand adjacent which the member has a clamp heel bearing and inwardly of and adjacent which the member has a rail base bearing; and for the said seat, an opposed upper front comer, metallic armor formed at each end of the seat with a downwardly extending clearance for a downwardly bowed and endwise thrusting opposed portion of a rail base.

:2. A cross tic comprising a pair of concrete tic heads and a rigid metallic coupling there-for; each 'tie head having a rail seat portion cou'ipr-ising therein anchored and spaced apart metallic, rail clamp holding members held against axial, endwiseand tipping movements and severally formed with a threaded socket outwardly of and adjacent vuhidh the member has a clamp heel bearing and inwardly of and adjacent which the men'iber has a rail base bearing; and for said seat, an opposed, upper front corner, metalllic armor formed at each end of the seat with a downwardly extending clearance 1501' a downwardly bowed and endwise uhir usting, opposed portion of a rail base; and, for completion of the rail seat, bodily springuble rail base flange c'lznnps severally having a bolt hole in its outer end portion; inwardly thereof, on its under side, an upstanding shoulder for engagement with an edge of a. rail base flange, and inwardly of the shoulder, an upwardly and inwz mdly extending end. toothed on its under side; in mmlrination with a rail having opposite base flanges; and a bolt through each clamp into a socket, the clamps being severally dimensioned initially to rest with its heel on a socket member and with its toothed surface on a rail flange, with a clear space under the outer end portion of the clamp; and to be bodily sprung downwards when the boltv is homed for gripping the flange against endw-ise creeping movement.

-3. A concrete cross lie comprising a pair of elongated and alined concrete tie heads and a short length metallic coupling between their inner ends; the coupling comprising in each head a horizontal, threadwl socket block therein anchored against axial, lengthwise and tip )ing movements. together with a short length, one piece coupling rod reversely threaded at its end portions; each tic head comprisin an inward portion substantially narrower in the widthwis. direction than its outward portion, the inner ends of the tie heads being opposed one to another and spaced apart for the purpose stated; and each inward por tion comprising lengthwise extending reinforccment.

i. A cross tie comprising a pair of alined and elongated concrete tic heads the inner portions of which are widthwise reduced for a substantial length on both sides; and a short length coupling; the reduction of the alined, opposed end portions forming a reentrant space along the length of each side of each tie in a series of ties, for the reception of tamped ballast between the heads and between the ties, and which ballast, in association with the ties, is effective to restrain endwise slipping movements of the ties and also sidewise and lengthwise movement of the track.

5. A. cross tie comprising a pair of elonlated and alined concrete tie heads; in the inner end of each tie head, a plurality of interiorly threaded socket blocks anchored against endwise, axial and tipping movements and located one above the other; and for each transversely opposed pair of sockets, a stiff, one piece coupling rod reversely threaded at its ends; the plurality of cou pling rods forming compression and tension truss members.

6. A cross tie comprising a pair of elongated and alined concrete heads and a short length, stiff coupling; each head having a portion at the mid-length part of which the head is provided with rail. seat forming members and also having an inwardly extending widthwise, reduced portion; the ends of the two width-wise reduced portions being spaced shortly apart to form a short length working space wherein to ma nipulate the coupling.

7. A cross tie comprising a pair of elongated and alined concrete heads and a short length, stiff coupling; each head having a portion at the mid-length part of which the head is provided with rail seat forming members and also having an inwardly extending width-wise reduced portion, the ends of the two widthwise reduced portions being spaced shortly apart to form a short length working space wherein to manipulate the coupling; and the rail seat forming portion of each head having parallel sides and parallel top and bottom surfaces and being of a width greater than its height.

8. A cross tie comprising a pair of elongated and alined concrete heads and a short length, stiff coupling; each head having a portion at the mid-length part of which the head is provided with rail seat forming members and also having an inwardly extending width-wise reduced portion, the ends of the two width-wise reduced portions being spaced shortly apart to form a short length working space wherein to manipulate the coupling; and the rail seat forming portion of each head having parallel sides and parallel top and bottom surfaces and being of a width greater than its height; and the rail seat forming members being located mid-way between the upstanding sides.

9. A concrete cross tie seat comprising a pair of upstanding, spaced apart socket blocks severally shaped for anchorage in the concrete against axial, endwise and tipping movements and severally provided with an interiorly threaded clamp bolt receiving socket; the upper ends of the blocks being approximately flush with the upper surface of the concrete and the upper end of each socket block extending inwardly to form opposed rail base bearings and extending outwardly to form a clamp heel bearing; the seat also comprising in its inner end portion a horizontal coupling rod receiving socket block shaped for anchorage in the concrete against axial, endwise and tipping movements, and provided each with an interiorly threaded socket; and the head also comprising at each of its upper side corner portions a fixedly anchored metal armor having a downwardly sloping corner for the purposes stated.

10. A concrete cross tie seat comprising a pair of upstanding, spaced apart socket blocks severally shaped for anchorage in the concrete against axial, endwise and tipping movements and severally provided with an interiorly threaded clamp bolt receiving socket; the upper ends of the blocks being approximately flush with. the upper surface of the concrete and the upper end of each socket block extending inwardly to form opposed rail base bearings and extending outwardly severally to form a clamp heel bearing; the seat also comprising in its inner end portion a horizontal coupling rod receiving socket block shaped. for anchorage in the concrete against axial, endwise and tipping movements and provided each. with an interiorly threaded socket; and the seat also comprising at each of its upper side corner portions a fixedly anchored metal armor having a downwardly sloping corner for the purposes stated; each armor having a horizontal. portion extending inwardly of the upper surface of the seat and approximately flush therewith to form rail base bearing surfaces. I

11. A concrete cross tie structure comprising therein oppositely anchored corner armor blocks and therebetween, spaced. apart in the direction of the length of the structure upstanding socket blocks, each corner armor block having an upper, outward. inclined corner for the purpose stated.

12. A concrete cross tie stnicture comprising therein oppositely anchored corner armor blocks; each having an upper outward inclined corner for the purpose stated.

13. A concrete cross tie structure comprising a pair of corner anchor blocks having angularly projecting back lugs anchored in the body-forming concrete and a horizontal, integral rail seat member.

14. A tie comprising a pair of transversef" ly detachahly coupled concrete heads having V able to a rail base and anchored in the concrete; and a plurality of spaced apart coupling socket blocks anchored in the concrete; the rail clamping mechanism and armor at one side of the head being spaced apart from the corresponding parts at another side of the head by an intermediate portion of the concrete.

15 tie comprising a pair of tranversely detachably coupled concrete heads having on each of its two sides, rail clampin mechanism comprising metallic members anchored in the concrete; metal. rail-seat arn or havinginclined corner portions pposable to a rail base and anchored in the concrete; and a plurality of spaced apart coupling socket blocks anchored in the concrete; the rail clamping mechanism and armor at one side of the head being spaced apart from the corresponding parts at another side of the head by an intermediate portion of the concrete; the heads also comprising reinforcement members out of contact with therein anchored metallic members snbject to vertical thrust strains.

1.6, A concrete tie head comprising therein anchored interiorly threaded rail clamp bolt receiving sockets open in a plurality of sides of the head; the sockets being packed with a removable anti-rust material; each corner portion of said head being provided with a fixed corner armor block having an upper, outward inclined corner for the pur- DDSe stated; and the sockets and corner armor blocks for one side of the head being spaced apart from the sockets and corner armor blocks for the other side of the head by an intervening portion of the concrete,

17. A concrete cross tie having a lcngtlr wise channeled rail sea-t comprising a flat metallic rail base scat approximately flush with the side and anchored in tho-concrete and having integral horizontal walls and vertical walls for rendering the bearing immovable in the concrete; the hearing being provided with interiorly threaded, clamp receiving sockets spaced apart in the direction of the length of the tie and located in opposite upper margins of the bearing inwardly of an outward edge of the bearing: in combination with a bodily springable rail base flange clamp at each socket, such clamps severally having a front end portion engageable with the upper surface of a rail base flange shouldered to engage an upstanding side wall of the rail seat; and being dimensioned to rest in assemblage with a rail, on a rail base flange, and, at its heel, to rest on an outward margin of a socket with a triangular clearance beneath its body portion; and a clamp bolt entered in the socket and, when homed operative to spring the clamp bodily into rail clamping position.

18. The combination in a ra lway tie of a pair of endwise spaced apart tic heads severally comprising means for holding a track rail in place on the head; a track rail held in place by said means on each head; a threaded horizontal socket fixed in the inward end portion of each head and exposed at its mouth; and a one piece, stifi coupling having its ends formed with reverse threads; the socket threads so turning that by rotating the coupling rod axially the heads are pulled one towards another when the rod is rotated in one direction and that the heads are spaced further apart when the rod is rotated in a reverse direction; and the stiff coupling serving to resist dipping movements of the heads.

19,. The combination in a railway tie of a pair of cndwise spaced apart tie heads severally comprising means for holding a track rail in place on the head; a track rail held in place by said means on each head; a threaded horizontal socket fixed in the inward end portion of each hfiad and exposed at its mouth; and a one piece, stiff coupling having its ends formed with reverse threads; the socket threads so turniir that by rotating the coupling rod axial y the heads are pulled one towards another when the rod is rotated in one direction and that the heads are spaced further apart when the rod is rotated in a reverse direction; and the stiff coupling servin' to resist dipping movements of the hem s; and the threads at each end of the con ling rod inwardly of an end of the head eing exposed for subjection to transverse strain in a vertical direction,

20. In railway track construction, a series of parallel cross tics each comprising a pair of endwisc, spaced apart, solid concrete, lengthwise reinforced coupled heads severally provided with rail clan' ping devices severally provided with s iaccd apart, upstanding, rigidly anchored sockets; the opposer long sides of the ties having reentrant portions for the reception between the ties of ballast entrant into the remnant portions of the ties, for prevention of endwiso movements and track slippage; and the opposed top and bottom sides of said heads being parallel and the heads being severally of approximately equal height throughout their length; and each head having fixedly anchored in its inner end portion a horizontal coupling member; all in combination with a stiff, short length, detachable coupling member.

21- In iie av rack s ru t o a r e of parallel cross ties each comprising a pair of endwise, spaced apart coupled heads severally provided with rail clamping devices;

the opposed long sides of the ties having reentrant portions for the reception between the ties of ballast entrant into the reentrant portions of the ties, for prevention of endwise movements and track slippage; the heads also severally comprising metallic rail seat members one at one upper corner portion and the other at the opposite upper corner portion of the rail seat; the upper corner portion of each member being in.

clined downwardly.

22. ln railway track construction, a series of parallel cross ties each comprising a pair of endwise, spaced apart coupled heads severally provided with rail clamping devices; the opposed long sides of the ties having reentrant portions for the reception between the ties of ballast entrant into the reentrant portions of the ties, for prevention of endwise movements and track slippage; the heads also severally comprising metallic rail seat members one at one upper corner portion and the other at the opposite upper corner portion of the rail seat; the upper corner portion of each member being inclined downwardly; each set of rail clamping devices comprising a bodily springable toothed rail base flange engaging clamp.

23. A railway cross tie comprising endwise, spaced apart and alined concrete heads, each head having therein embedded a horizontal, metallic, interiorly threaded, socket block exteriorly formed for anchorage in the concrete against axial, endwise and tip ping movements and having the margin of its mouth exposed and approximately flush with the otherwise continuously flat, inner end wall of the head; for connecting the heads, a metallic coupling rod having a reversely turned, non-projecting thread at each end, each threaded end being in connection with the thread of one of said socket blocks, whereby both heads can be given simultaneous movement in a direction depending on the direction in which the rod is turned; the sockets being alined in assemblage and the coupling rod tying the heads together and also bracing them apart and being dimensioned normally to prevent vertical bending movements at the mid-length portion of the cross tie, and the socket blocks having rigid walls which prevent vertical strains on the coupling rod from effecting at its threaded ends a disintegrating action on the concrete enclosing the socket blocks.

24. In a railway cross tie comprising separable members, the combination with a pair of alined tie heads each having a therein rigidly fixed, threaded, metallic socket accessibly exposed in the inward end wall of the head of a stiff coupling rod having reversely turned threads at each end, each thread being for connection with one of said sockets, whereby both heads can be given simultaneous movement in a direction depending on the direction in which the rod is turned; the coupling rod tying the heads together and also bracing them apart and forming a stiff connection exposed and accessible between the opposed ends of the heads; and each threaded end portion of the coupling rod having a thread exposed outwardly of the adjacent end wall of the head after the coupling rod and sockets have been fully 'homed.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this third day of October, A. D. 1923.,

VAN RENSSELAER CHOATE KING. 

